There are many skills other than giving a good talk which a speaker must develop if they are to do their job well. One of the most important, particularly for a science speaker, is taking questions. It’s also a skill which is more problematic than one might at first think. Although I’m still trying to improve this myself, I offer here a few lessons which I’ve learnt so far. Read On…
It’s a common problem for all organisations and my work in a physics collaboration is no exception. I have an idea or proposal for something I want to do, but as a junior member of the organisation I need to ensure my seniors have no objection. So I send an e-mail of the form “I would like to…” or “Is it OK if I…”. The problem comes when no response is received: I have no objections to address but also no authority to proceed, my proposal is dead in the water. Read On…